An afternoon stroll in downtown Gwangju – Eating, drinking, and shopping
nhan My
2 months ago
If you have a free afternoon in Gwangju, you should definitely consider spending time visiting 시내 (Chungjang-ro area) – the busiest and most bustling center of the city. This place is not only a shopping paradise but also a little corner full of Korean character, both modern and peaceful.
Journey: from 버들마을 to city center
I started the trip at 2:00 PM from the 버들마을 (Beodeulmaeul) station.
From here, you can take bus number 07 or 15, or ride subway line 1 to 문화전당역 (Munhwajeondang Station) – it only takes about 30–40 minutes to get right to the city center.
As soon as you step out of the station, you'll immediately feel the lively atmosphere: long streets lined with bright signs, cafés side by side, and music blaring from shops everywhere.
Sightseeing & shopping on Chungjang-ro
We started wandering around the small streets, the most prominent being 충장로 1가 – 5가, where hundreds of fashion, cosmetics, and ultra-cute accessory shops are concentrated.
I stopped by THE PLAIN – a popular accessory shop packed with countless earrings, necklaces, hair clips, all at super cheap prices (2 items for only 5,000원). Standing in that bright space with walls full of accessories felt absolutely enchanting ✨
Additionally, along the street there are many clothing and shoe shops and a lot of small cafes with super cute decor – perfect for taking photos for social media.
After finishing our shopping, we stopped at a skewer-grill stand (꼬치구이) right in the middle of the street.
The aroma of grilled skewers is fragrant, with a mild spicy and sweet flavor blending together — eating while watching people pass by is really chill 😋
After eating, we stopped by a café near ACC (Asia Culture Center) to have drinks and rest. The café's atmosphere was cozy, overlooking the main road, sipping tea while chatting lively.
When night falls, the whole 시내 lights up brilliantly. Shops, restaurants, and souvenir stores begin to get crowded – just like “Gwangju never sleeps.”
We finished our stroll at around 8 PM, to the sound of street music and neon lights reflecting everywhere
A truly memorable afternoon! No need to go far — just strolling around Chungjang-ro gives you all the 'flavors' of a little trip: great food, fun shopping, and plenty of beautiful moments to remember
📍 Minh will leave the reference information:
Starting point: 버들마을 (Beodeulmaeul)
Destination: 문화전당역 / 충장로 downtown
Travel time: 30–40 minutes
Must-try dishes: 꼬치구이 (grilled skewers), 떡볶이, bubble tea, iced blended coffee
Suggested shop: THE PLAIN (더플레인) – accessories 2ea 5,000원
